Apparatus for boring tunnels.



No. 673,7]7. Patented May 7, Mil. A. W. MANTON.

APPARATUS run some TUNNELS. (Applicatiqn filed Dec. 10. 1900.) (No Iodal.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

, mwmw m: Nonms PEYERS co, Pumuuw WASHINGTON. n, c.

Patented ma 7, I90].

A. w. M'ANTON. APPARATUS FOR BORING TUNNELS.

(Application filed. Dec. 10, 1900.)

2 w A n s 7 4 I Q I N o I W w} m: NORRIS PEYERS 00 FNOTO-LITMCL. WASMINOYON, n. c.

Patented May 7, l90l.

4 Sheet Sheet 3.

I'wen'TEP M. MM

A. W. MANTUN.

S FUR BORING TUNNELS.

ication filed Dec. 10, 1900.)

APPARATU (Appl um Model.)

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No. 673,7l7.

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APPARATUS FOR BORING 'TUNNELS.

(Application fll'ed Dec. 10, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

Tu: NORRIS P512: ca. Pnommko" WASHINGTON. n. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT FIFICE.

ARTHUR WOODROFFE MANTON, or WANSTEAD, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR BORING TUNNELS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,717, dated. May 7, 1901.

7 Application filed. December 10, 190p. serial No: 39,398. No model.)

To rtZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WOODROFFE MANTON, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Tudor Lodge, Sylvan road, Wanstead, county ofEssex,England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Boring Tunnels or Headings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for boring tunnels or headings of the kind wherein revolving cutters are employed, the said cutters being gradually advanced automatically as the work proceeds, and has for its object to provide means whereby tunnels or headings can be excavated and the excavated material removed from the tunnel or heading with greater facility and more quickly than heretofore, thereby effecting considerable economy in time and expense in carrying out this description of work.

According to my invention I mount the cutters, which may be in the shape of cuttingknives or of cutting-disks free to rotate, upon a face-plate'secured to a rotating cylinder, horizontally or otherwise arranged, the said cylinder being loosely mounted upon a ring or bearing which is suitably fixed to a tunneling-shield of ordinary construction or to the tunnel or heading itself by means of supports or abutments. To reduce friction, rollers are provided between the fast ring or bearing and the cutting-cylinder, which is rotated thereon by any suitable means, such means advantageously consisting of a pulley-ring sliding longitudinally upon the cutter-cylinder as the latter is advanced and brought back and adapted to be driven by a chain, rope, or belt from any separate and suitable source of power, preferably an electric, compressed-air, or hydraulic motor-as, for instance, the advance pumping-motor if a shield beused. To advance the cutters automatically, I form upon the inside of the rotating cutting-cylinderan annular nut, which gears with an external screw-thread upon the fast ring or bearing upon which the cylinder rotates. The cutters are brought back when the shield, if one be used, is to be driven forward or for the advancement of the apparatus in the same way, but preferably at a greater speed to economize time.

Suitable means, such as a screw or screws,

are provided for withdrawing the apparatus for repairs or renewals or for varying the amount of advance of the apparatus as the work proceeds.

The cutters may be so arranged upon the face-plate that they cut away the whole or the central portion of the surface of the tunnel or heading to be excavated, or they may be arranged so as to leave a central uncut core, which passes through a hole in the said faceplate and through the fixed ring or bearing and can be removed in any suitable manner.

Suitable fixed or rotating vanes are provided for collecting the excavations, removing the same from the excavated surfaces, and delivering them or the greater portion thereof onto the working platform of the shield, tunnel, or heading.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of boring apparatus constructed according to the invention and shown in conjunction with a shield. Fig. 2 is a half rear View of the apparatus shown in conjunction with a shield.

Fig. 3 is a half front view of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a tunnel,

showing the driving-gear for the boring apparatus in end elevation; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a tunnel,

showing the driving-gear in side elevation. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of boring apparatus used without a shield and shown in position in a tunnel. Fig. 7 is a rearview of a part thereof.

A is the clay or stratum through which the tunnel is to be bored, and B is the completed portion of the tunnel. v

C is the shield in the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

a a are the cutters, the said cutters being shown in the form of cutting-knives and arranged upon radial arms I) 12, forming the face-plate, the said arms, however, not extending wholly from the periphery to the center, but being of such a length that when the apparatus is in operation an annular portion only of the clay is cut away, thus leaving a central uncut core D of material, as hereinafter described.

c is the horizontal cylinder, to which the arms 19 b are secured, and d is the ring or bearing, upon which the said horizontal cylinder c is adapted .to rotate, the said ring being secured to the shield C by means of the brackets d d, fixed to its rear end and carrying screws d which engage internally-screwthreaded bearings d fixed to. the shield O by means of the supports or legs (1 d.

e is the pulley-ring, which is mounted externally upon the cylinder 0, the said ring being through the medium of the featherkeys e e secured upon the outside of the cylinder 0 and enabled when rotated to rotate the cylinder 0, butat the same time to permit the said cylinder to have longitudinal movement relatively with the said pulley-' f is the external screw-thread, formed upon the fast-ring or hearing d.

With the described arrangement when the pulley e is rotated by the wirerope or chain e the cylinder 0 is also rotated through the medium of the feather-keys e e and is simultaneously moved forward by the engagement of the nut f with the screw-thread f, the pulley 6 being retained in its-normal position by the rods 2 6 which are secured at one end to the brackets e and (1 upon the fixed ring;

02 and at the other end engage afiange e upon the pulley-ring e, as clearly shown. To reduce friction between the rotating cylinder 0 and the fixed ring d,'rollers g g are provided,

the said rollers being mounted in hearings on one of the said cylinders.v

h h are vanes or the like, which are fixed to the face-plate b and are adapted to remove the material excavated from the face of the tunnel, the said vanes being arranged at a-suitable angle, preferably about thirty degrees'to the horizontal, so as to discharge excavated material onto the platform t t.

Figs. 4: and 5 show suitable driving-gear for operating the wire rope e It comprises a motor t', of any suitable kind. In the said figures an electromotor is shown mounted upon a base-plate t, supported upon legs or supports i adapted to run upon rails jj, held upon brackets jj', temporarily fixed in the completed portion of the tunnel or heading. The motor-shaft 7c has keyed upon it a worm is, which normally gears witha wormwheel Z upon a shaft Z, which carries loosely upon it the wire-rope or chain pulley m. This pulley can be rotated by the said shaft 1 by means of the clutch m when the cutters are to be driven forward at the usual slow speedthat is to say, about two revolutions per minute. When it is required, however,

to withdraw the cutters from the head of the excavation, the clutch m is disengaged and the pulley m is driven from the motor-shaft by means of the bevel-wheel n, which is fast with the said pulley and which gears with a bevel-wheel n, loosely mounted on a stud n supported by the base-plate '5', the said wheel being rigid with a spur-wheel n gearing with a pinion n loosely mounted upon the motorshaft is, but being adapted to be rotated thereby through the medium of the clutch M when the clutch m is put out of gear. Means are advantageously provided whereby the two clutches cannot be put into gear simultaneously, either of the two clutches being put into gear while the other is outof gear or both being placed'out of gear. A flexible shaft (not shown) is also provided, whereby the motor when both clutches are out of gear can drive the worm 0, mounted upon the lowermost bracketd of the boring apparatus and which gears with a worm-wheel 0', keyed upon the lowermost of the screws Each of the screws (1 is also provided'with a chain-wheel 10, and the three chain-wheels are geared together'by means of the'chai'n 10, so that when thelowermost screw d is'dri'ven by'the motor all three of the screws are simultaneously rotated to advance or withdraw the boring apparatus within the shield, as hereinafter described.

The operation of the apparatus'is as follows: Assuming the face-plate to brain the position for makinga fresh excavation, the motor is started, with t'he'clutch m in gear, so as to drive the pulley-ring e at about two revolutions per minute. The rotation of the pulley ring revolves the'face plate, with its cutters, through the medium of the cylinder 0 and simultaneously'advances the said faceplate by reason of theengagem'ent of the nut f with the s'crew-th read 7 upon the-fixed ring d. This rotary and forward movement of the cutters excavat'es'the material, which'is delivered by the vanes it onto the platform i, from which it can be loaded into trucks and removed in the usual manner. The forward movement of the'cutters' being finished, the

clutch m is put out of gear and the clutch u put intogear, the motor continuing to rotate, so as to'withdraw the cutters into the position shown in Fig. l with respect to the fixed ring d, the velocity of withdrawal being greater than the speed at which the cutters advance. The clutch n is then also disengaged and the chain-wheels p p drive-n by the flexible shaft, so as to rotate the screws (1 thus withdrawing both the cylinder 0 and the ring d within the shield. Piles are then inserted between the front of the shield'aud the face of the tunnel, and the'shield is then forced forward in the usual manner by means of the rams g, which may be extended in the usual manner by water compressed by'pu'm'ps operated from the motor. The peripheral unexcavated portion of thetunnel-that is to say, the portion marked P, Fig. 1-is thus cut away by the action of the piles and of the front cutting edge of the shield and the next section of the tunnel can be built up in the usual manner. The boring apparatus is then again advanced from the shield and the operation begins de noco.

Figs. 6 and 7 show my improvements applied to apparatus where no shield is employed. In thiscase the ring or hearing dis secured to a carriage to, which is mounted upon wheels 21/ 10, adapted to run upon rails 11, n laid in the bottom of the finished portion of the tunnel-lining, as clearly shown. To securely hold the boring apparatus in position in the tunnel, lateral arms o are provided, the said arms being furnished with slides 1;, having claws adapted to engage the meeting flanges of adjacent sections of the lining. These claws can be withdrawn to clear the flanges of the tunnel-sections to enable the whole apparatus to be advanced and withdrawn. A shield not being employed in this arrangement, it will be clear that the cutters must excavate the tunnel to the full diameter thereof, as no piles can be used for removing a peripheral uncut portion. The operation of this apparatus is identical with that of the apparatus hereinbefore described, except that the boring apparatus is advanced and withdrawn upon the sliding carriage to instead of within the shield.

It will be obvious that in lieu of the electromotor a compressed-air or a hydraulic motor could be used and also that the clutch mechanism shown can be replaced by any other mechanism producing the same results.

Furthermore, as above mentioned the cut' ters may be arranged so as to excavate the whole of the central part of the face of the tunnel instead of leaving a core. I prefer, however, to employ the arrangement shown where a shield is not employed. However, the face-plate cutters preferably cut away to the full diameter of the tunnel or heading, as hereinbefore described, with or without a central uncut core.

Boring apparatus constructed as above described possesses many advantages, among which may be named the following: By driving the excavator from a motor independent of and removed from the shield and through the medium of a chain, rope, or belt gear the said motor can work independently of the deviations and twisting of the shield to which the excavator is secured and is also inexpensive and simple in construction. By making an annular cut in the manner above described very little ground is left unsupported to slip or move, also economizing mechanical energy and rendering the use of piles with the shield, if one be used, most efficient. The internal friction of the machine is very small, as the main rotating bearings are roller-bearings. The mode of driving described allows of a very flexible connection between the motor and the excavatorand between the excavator and the shield, so that breakdowns and damages are reduced to a minimum. Furthermore, the position of the excavator in the shield allows of full access being obtained thereto for erecting the tunnel-lining and for proceeding with the tunneling or excavation by hand should a breakdown occur. The machine can also be easily and quickly withdrawn to effect repairs and to avoid damage to itself during the advance of the shield, as hereinbefore mentioned.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In apparatus for boring tunnels or headings, the combination with a non-revoluble cylindrical bearing, of a cylinder revolubly mounted upon and surrounding said bearing and capable of moving longitudinally thereof, said cylinder and bearing having the one a nut engaging a screw-thread on the other, means for rotating said cylinder and cutters carried by said cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In apparatus for boring tunnels or headings, the combination of a face-plate carrying cutters and fixed to a cylinder, of a fixed bearing upon which the cylinder is rotatably mounted and of an internal nut upon the cylinder which engages an external screwthread upon the fixed bearing for advancing orwithdrawing the cylinder relatively with the bearing as the former rotates, substantially as hereinbefore described.

3. ln apparatus for boring tunnels or headings, the combination with a non-revoluble hollow cylindrical bearing of a cylinder mounted revolubly upon and surrounding said bearing and being capable of sliding longitudinally thereof said cylinder and bearing having the one a nut engaging a screw-thread on the other, means for rotating said cylinder and an annular series of cutters secured to said cylinder, whereby a central uncut portion or core is left in the tunnel which will project into said cylinder and bearing, substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for boring tunnels or headings, the combination with a non-revoluble hollow cylindrical bearing of a cylinder mounted revolubly upon and surrounding said bearing and being capableof sliding l011- gitudinally thereof said cylinder and. bearing having the one a nut engaging a screw-thread on the other, means for rotating said cylinder, an annular face-plate secured to said cylinder, a series of cutters carried by said faceplate, and means for moving said bearing longitudinally, substantially as described.

5. In apparatus for boring tunnels or headings the combination of a face-plate carrying cutters, of a cylinder to which the face-plate is secured and of a fixed bearing upon which the said cylinder rotates, of an external pulley-ring upon the cylinder with which engages a rope, chain or belt driven from a suitable motor and of an internal nut upon the cylinder which gears with an external screwthread upon the fixed bearing, substantially cutters, of a cylinder to which the said face-.

plate is fixed, of a fixed bearing upon which the cylinder is rotatably mounted, of means for rotating the cylinder, of screws fixed to the bearing and mounted in nuts upon supports fixed in the shield, tunnel or excavation and of means, such as Worm-gear, for

rotating the screws, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.

8. In apparatus for boring tunnels or headings, the combination with a cylindrical hearing, of a cylinder mounted on and surrounding said bearing, and capable of movement longitudinally thereof, said bearing and cylinder being provided the one with a nut en gaging a screw-thread on the other, cutters secured to said cylinder, means for rotating said cylinder, and mechanism connected with said bearing for moving it longitudinally, substantially as described.

ARTHUR WOODROFFE MANTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. BOUSFIELD, O. G. REDFERN. 

